Break-up of irregular masses and particularly animal carcasses



April 13, 1965 N. H. voG'r ETAL 3,177,520

BREAK-UP OF IRREGULAR MASSES AND PARTCULARLY ANIMAL CARCASSES 17 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 20, 1960 April 13, 1965 N. H. voGT ETAL 3,177,520

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BREAK-UP OF IRREGULAR MASSES AND PARTCULARLY ANIMAL CARCASSES Filed Dec. 20, 1960 17 Sheets-Shea?l 8 Aprll 13, 1965 N. H. voGT ETAL 3,177,520

BREAK-UP oF IRREGULAR MAssEs AND k PARTIGULARLY ANIMAL cARcAssEs Filed Deo. 20, 1960 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 9 tm., www QN@ mmm /MNNWMWH bmw bmw NQ mom.

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BREAK-UP OF IRREGULAR MASSES AND PARTICULARLY ANIMAL CARCASSES 17 Sheets-Sheet lO Filed Dec. 20, 1960 April 13, 1965 N. H. voGT ETAL BREAK-'UP OF IRREGULAR MASSES AND PARTICULARLY ANIMAL CARCASSES 17 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Dec. 20, 1960 N. H. VOGT ETAL BREAK--UP OF IRREGULAR MASSES AND PARTCULARLY ANIMAL CARCASSES April 13, 1965 17 Sheets-Sheet l2 Filed Dec. 20. 1960 umwh lww LL kbw April 13, 1965 N, H. VQGT ETAL 3,177,520

BREAK-UP 0F IRREGULAR MASS-Es AND PARTCULARLY ANIMAL CARGASSES Filed Deo. 20, 1960 l? Sheets-Sheet 13 N. H. VOGT ETAL BREAK-UP 0F IRREGULAR MASSES AND PARTICULARLY ANIMAL CARCASSES 17 Sheets-Sheet 14 April 13, 1965 Filed Deo.

Aprll 13, 1965 N. H. voGT l-:TAL 3,177,520

BREAK-UP OF IRREGULAR MASSES AND PARTCULARLY ANIMAL CARCASSES Filed DBC. 20, 1960 17 Sheets-Sheet l5 74 76 /aa -77l /29 FII Apnl 13, 1965 N. H. voGT ETAL. 3,177,520

BREAK-UP OF IRREGULAR MASSES AND PARTCULARLY ANIMAL CARCASSES Filed Dec. 20, 1960 17 Sheets-Sheet 16 prll 13, 1965 N, H, voGT ETAL 3,77,520

BREAK-UP oF IRREGULAR MAssEs AND PARTIGULARLY ANIMAL cARcAssEs Filed Dec. 20. 1960 17 Sheets-Sheet 17 v l M f @l I I@ Il uw if Q mh. lith HHH` 'A y S 1 I (n l |l|I o Il l o "[50 e ,8 hm Mlm uw Io S 'Kn-m# m M197 m United States Patent O 3,177,520 BREAK-UP OF IRREGUIJAR MASSIES AND PRTICULARLY ANIMAL CARCASSES Norman I-I. Vogt, Clawson, Mich., Harry W. Weprin,

Chicago, III., and Samuel F. Pasutin, Royal Oak, Mich.,

as'signors to Armour and Company, Chicago, Ill., a

corporation or Delaware Filed Dec. 20, 196i), Ser. No. 77,121 It) Claims. (Cl. 17-1) This invention relates to the break-up of irregular masses and, more particular-ly, to the dividing or-separating of masses by process or apparatus means employing a preselection or sighting control. The invention is particularly useful in the breaking-up of animal carcasses of Varying sizes and shapes through the use of control means at the beginning of the break-up operation. For simplicity in description, the invention will be described in connection with the break-up of a hog carcass, but it will be understood that such illustration is by way of example and that the invention is applicable to many other physical types of masses having irregular or varying shapes and sizes.

In the break-up of pork carcasses, it has been the practice to move the carcass halves along conveyors and perform the various cutting steps by manual operations, and such operations were regarded as necessary hand operations because of the great irregularities inthe carcasses and the importance of recovering all of the valuable portions of the lean meat and other meat portions. For example, in the drawing of the Valuable loin portion `near the saddle of the hog, it is found that the saddle 'position in a short hog carcass is at an entirely different position from that in a long hog carcass, and a manual operation has been considered necessary in order to recoverall of the loin from such irregular bodies. Further,

the fat and lean portions vary in depth, the rib structures yperforming the cutting operations while at the same time providing sighting control means at the beginning of the break-up operation by which one or two operators could yat the outset pre-select the elements and their positioning at the various stations for a particular carcass so that as the carcass traveled through the apparatus the cutting elements were automatically positioned for dividing the carcass in a manner responsive to the pre-selection at the first station, a great saving in time, labor and expense would be achieved.

One object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a means by which irregular or varying masses ymay be divided or separated by means responsive to an initial sighting or alignment control whereby the breakup of the masses is accomplished in successive operations under such control. Another object is to provide apparatus adapted to break up an animal carcass or other mass in a series of successive operations responsive to a control which is set up at the start of such operations. A further object is to provide apparatus or means in which an animal carcass or other mass is divided or separated by a mechanism in which the dividing means is moved relative to the carcass or the carcass is moved relative to the dividing means, or both are moved relative to each other, .all such movements being responsive to a pre-selecting sighting mechanism provided at the `start of the operations. A still further object is to provide mass- TZ Patented Apr. 13, 1965 ICC positioning means, a dividing element, an element-positioning means, a movable sighting device adapted to be brought into alignment with a portion of the mass, and means responsive to the movement of the sighting mechanism for controlling the positioning of said mass or dividing element. Yet a further object is to provide a delayed control means in combination with mass-moving and massdividing means whereby said control means may be adjusted relative to a mass at the beginning of the apparatus to pre-select the positions of said mass-dividing and mass-moving means, but delaying the action of the latter until .after other separating operations have been performed following said sighting operation. .A still further ooject is to provide improved loin-pulling means and preselecting control mechanism therefor. Other speciiic objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown, in an illustrative embodiment, by the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a diagrammatic showing of the sequence of operations performed by the apparatus and method of our invention; FIG. 2, a diagrammatic top plan view of pork carcass halves and of the separating operations performed at three successive stations; FIG/3, a perspective view, taken at the beginning or inlet of the apparatus, and showing the positioning of the carcass halves during the alignment or sighting operation; FIG. 4, a side view in elevation oi the loin-pulling apparatus and the mechanism for vertically adjusting said apparatus; FIG. 5, an -end view, partly in section, of the carcass-supporting means and loin-pulling mechanism; FIG. 6, a top plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 7, a detail sectional view with parts broken away, the section being taken as indicated at line 7 7 of FIG. 4; FIG. 8, a broken, enlarged, detail view showing the scribe saw and loinpulling knife and the operating mechanism therefor; FIG. 9, an enlarged, part-sectional View, the section being taken as indicated at line 9 9 of FIG. 7; FIG. 10, a detail view in side elevation of the cam means for operating the loin-pulling knife; FIG. 11, a view similar to FIG. l0, showing the cam means for operating the scribe saw; FIG. 12, a detail sectional View, the section being taken as indicated at line 12-12 of FIG. l0; FIG. 13, a detail sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 13-13 of FIG. 1G; FIG. 14, a detail sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 1.4-1.4 of FIG. 10; FIG. 15, a detail sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 35-15 of FIG. l0; FIG. 16, a side elevational view of a Geneva movement delay control mechanism for operating the cam adjustments controlling the movement of the scribe saw and loinpulling knife; FIG. 17, a View similar to FIG. 16 but showing a portion of the apparatus in enlargement; FIG.

18, a broken end view of the structure shown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 19, a part-sectional detail View with portions of the structure broken away, the view being taken as indicated at line 19-19 of FIG. 17; FIG. 20, a view similar to FIG. 19, the section being taken as indicated at line 20-20 of FIG. 17; FIG. 21, a detail sectional View, the section being taken as indicated at line 21-21 of FIG. 20; FIG. 22, a broken sectional View, the section being taken as indicated at line 22--22 of FIG. 21; FIG. 23, a broken front view in elevation of the sighting mechanism at the rst station of the apparatus; FIG. 24, a broken side view of the structure shown in FIG. 23; FIG. 25, a sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 25-25 of FIG. 23; FIG. 26, a sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 26-26 of FIG. 23; FIG. 27, a broken side view in elevation of a Selsyn motor control device; FIG. 28, an end view in elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 27; FIG. 29, a broken elevationalview of a color-responsive control device for controlling the depth of cut of the loin-pulling knife; FIG.

30, an end view in elevation of the structure shown in l sectional view, the section beingltakenk as` indicated at -line 32-32 of FIG. Y31; FIG; 33, abottorn plan view of off; FIG. 34, va view similar to FIG. 33 butshowing the vlightslot of another sighting device yto indicate the-,ham

-'FIG. 29; FIG. 31, a brokenk vertical sectional view of the sighting mechanism shown inl-TIG. 23; FIG. 32 a -oneof the sighting devices for projecting a light upon Y the legV of theV carcass at the Vpoint the leg is toV be cut 66; and foot line 67 represents the lightbeam emitted by foot lampGS.` Shoulder lamp 60 is stationaryV ,atv all times, Whereas loin lamp l63 and ham lamp 66 move longitudinally andftransversely `of the carcass 50,- and foot cut-off; FIG.' 35, a view similar to `FIG.'33 of anotherV g sighting device showingcross slots for projecting a light' pattern adapted to be aligned with the saddle of thecarcass and with the scribe line; FIG. 36,V a View similar to FIG. 33 showing the light-emitting slot ofanoth'er'siglit- .FIG.33L. p` v -V In the embodiment of our invention illustrated in `the foregoing-drawings, A designates the sighting or alignment mechanism which is manipulated by the operator or operators to bringV the lines vof light into thedesired posif tions for break-up ofthe carcass; B designates loin-pull- 'K to FIGS..23 and 24.

ing mechanism at the fourth station of operations; andC designates delay control meanslwhereby carcass-moving and dividing elements at the loin-pulling station'are moved linto the desired relativeV position'for dividing vthe'carcass in response to a selection made at the first station by the sighting mechanism for this particular carcass, such controlmechanism being responsive to the alignment made at the iirst station butdelaying action until the carcass in question reaches the loin-pulling station.

Intermediate the control set-up or sighting station. A and the loin-pulling station B, are dividing operations as indicatedmore clearly in FIGS. l and'2. There is a ham and foot Ycut-off station which may be referred to Vas the second station. There is a shoulder cut-off operartion in which a saw 40 is provided and which may be referred toas the third station. The pork halves, which have been moved ltransversely as indicated in FIG.v 2 through stationsV 1, 2 and 3 for theremoval of the ham and foot on the one side and the Vshoulder on theother side, are nov/separated, one of the halves containing theY belly andY back being movedlaterally to the right yand automatic conveyor mechanism which will carry the car- Y casses or parts'thereof through the various operations. Any suitable conveyor apparatus may be employed, Vsuch as, for example, the apparatusshown in'detailV in ou copending application, Serial No. 110,076.

Control set-up and sighting mechanism Y The sighting' mechanism A is employed for preselecting the points or. lines of divisionbf the'carcass so that'at later stages in the operation theindividual carcass canbe divided in accor-dance with the selection made at the first station-the control set-up. The sightingmechanism is best illustrated in FIGS. 3, zsthrough 26, and 31` throughvr Referring particularly to FIG. 3, hog carcasses V50. are .5.70

carried by overhead trolleys 51 alongV rail 52. As the 131 is mounted on frame70 by screws 133.

' lamp 68 moves longitudinally of the carcass150. Y

For purposes of illustration, rloin lamp 63 willV be described in detail, and Afor thisv purpose we refer-to FIGS. 23 through 26 and'31, 32, 35 andv 37, and particularly `Overhead mounting'structure 70 provides support for allliamp assemblies, includingvloin lamp '63. Mounted on structure by bolts 71 are roller tracks 72 land 73. Rollers 74, permanently fixed to frame by roller brackets 76 and nuts 77, rideV on tracks 72 and 73. Bars 77 and 78-are upper guides for rollers 74. Rollers 79, permanently fixed to frame 75 by roller brackets 80 and nuts 81, provide lateral moving support for frame 75V by engaging tracks 72 and 73.

Frame 75 is provided with rails 85 and 86 to` provide support for rollers 87, which are mounted on` plate 88 f by brackets 89 and bolts r90. Frame 75 is'also provided with upper rollerguides 91 and 92. Rollers 93, mounted yon plate ,88 by bolts 94, provide lateral moving support for plate 88 by engaging upper guides 91 and 92. Spacers '95'and 96, .secured to rails 85yand 86, space guides 91 'and V92 from vrails 85 andV 86 and also provide support for guides 91 and 92. f

Frame 75 is'provided with brake assembly 100, and

overhead mounting structurev 70 has affixed to it braking rail'101. Directly attachedto frame 75 is brake support v`102v for Vslidably-mountedbrake actuator 103 which has a high friction material `104 to provide friction against lbrakingrail 101.

Mounted between slidably-mounted actuator 103 and brake support ,102 is spring y105 which normally urges the friction material 104 toward'rail 101.

Plate 88 also yutilizes a brake, generally designated as A 106. Brake support 107 -is attachedlto the bottom of plate 88 by screws 108, and the lower end 109 of rail 86 is utilized as the braking raily for brake 106. Brake actuator 110 has secured to it material 111 of a high coeflicient of friction so as to provide a frictional force against the rhand grip 124 is attached toone 'end of shaft 120, and

alsol mounted on shaft is gear 125 by screw 126. Mounted upon the opposite side of frame 75fis-bracket 127 to'which is secured gear rack128. Gear rackv128 meshes with gear 129 which, in turn, is mounted on shaft 130 ofrotary switch 131 by screw 132., Rotary switch v Mounted Von plate 88 is gearrack 135, which engages l `gear 1257,. on shaft 120. lLikewise attached to plate 88 is bracket 136-Whichl holds extension arm 137. Arm 137, in`turn, carries gear rack ,138. l Gear rack 133 is designed y ,to engage gear 139 which is on shaft 140 of rotary'switch carcasses50 and trolley 51`contactrthe automatic hog dropping mechanism 53, theA carcasses areautomatifcally released from trolleys 51 and drop upon chute 54. 'The 141; rotary switch 141 is 'mounted on Vframe 74 by .bolts 142.

` Light source 14315111lointampss. Referringto' F1os.

431 and-r32,side 144 of lamp`63 has a retaining ange 145 wat its lower end. j Side 144 is secured toy tapered portion 146, whichhinvturn is secured:tolensmounting support 147;V Positionedabove flange .145, andfrnounted on plate 8,8 by bolts 148, are lpositioning plate 149 andV slit plates 1150. It. should be noted that slit plates 150 are used to form light beams 61 and 62 on the hog carcass shown in FIG. 3. Lenses 151 are positioned in mounting support 147, and intensify the light passing through slit plate 151i.

After the light lines have been correctly located on the carcass to be broken up and the electrical controls thus set for the carcass when it will reach subsequent stations, the carcass is subjected to the leg and ham cut-off action in station 2 `and to the shoulder cut-oil action in station 3, the remaining carcass halves being then separated along branch lines so that each is moved in a position longitudinal of its travel through stations d, 5, 6 and 7. ln station 4, there is the important loin-pulling operation, and we wish to describe this in detail. This station is remote from the sighting station and it well illustrates the memory system employed and the effectiveness of the sighting mechanism in controlling the remote loin-pulling operation which involves various intricate and important dividing operations.

Loin-pulling mechanism The loin-pulling mechanism B is illustrated best in FIGS. 4 through 15.

The loin-pulling mechanism B includes stationary frame 16@ which is mounted on overhead structure 161 (partially shown in FG. 4) and moving frame, generally designated as 162. Stationary frame 160 and moving frame 162 are connected by two tie rods 163 and four cross bars 16d.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, motor 165 is mounted on stationary frame 166 on base 166. Motor shaft 167 is connected to shaft 168 of reducer 169 by means of coupling 17@ and reducer 169 is permanently fixed to stationary frame 166 on base 171. Shaft 172 of reducer 169 is positioned at approximately right angles to shaft 168. One end of shaft 172 is fixed to coupling 173 to which is permanently fixed pinion 174, and the other end is permanently tixed to pinion 175.

Bracket 176, permanently fixed to stationary frame 16d by bolts 177, is attached to support 175 by bolts 179, support 178 providing a mounting for feed-back Selsyn unit 181i. Shaft 181 of Selsyn unit 139 is attached to gear 182, which meshes with pinion 174 of coupling 173. Selsyn 165 is a part of a conventional Selsyn system,

ywhich is used for the vertical positioning of the loinpulling apparatus mounted on frame 162.

Meshing with pinion 175 on shaft 172 of reducer 162 is gear 133 which is permanently fastened to drive shaft 184. Shaft 184 is rotatably supported in pillow blocks 185, 186 and 187 which are fixed to cross members 133, 159 and 19h, respectively, of frame 166. Shaft 184 also passes through magnetic brake unit 191, which is permanently connected to bracket 132, and the latter in turn is attached to stationary frame 16o by bolts 193.

Attached to end members 266 and 261 of stationary frame 160 are vertical guide tracks 262 and 263 which are formed by plates 204 and by bars 235.

Mounted on both ends of shaft 184; are crank arms 2116 `and 267. Fastened to crank arm 266 is limit switch actuator 268. T he periphery 209 of limit switch actuator 2113 is positioned to contact roller actuator 21@ of limit switch 211, roller actuator 212 of limit switch 213 and also roller actuator 214 of limit switch 215. Limit switch 211 is mounted on bracket 216 which is mounted on frame 161B by bolts 217; limit switch 213 is mounted on bracket 21S which in turn is secured to frame 166 by bolts 219; and limit switch 215 is mounted on bracket 220 which is fastened on frame 166 by bolts 221.

Cross bars 164 provide vertical support for frame 162 by attachment to stationary frame 16). End portions 236 of cross bars 16d are hingeably mounted on frame 16d and on frame 162 by rods 231 passing through cross bars 16d and through hinge support mounting 232, which is attached to frame 166, and hinge support mounting 233, which is attached to frame 162. End portions 234i of cross bars 164 are hingeably mounted on sliding hinge supports 235 and 236. Support 235 is free to move along guide rod 238 mounted on guide rod supports 239 which are permanently fastened to stationary frame 160. Sliding hinge support 236 is free to move along guide rod .2d-tl which is held in a fixed position by means of guide rod supports 241 attached to frame 162. Cross bars 164 are hingeably connected, in pairs, at their center portions 242 by means of bolts 243 and nuts 24d. Cross bars 164 provide vertical support for frame 162 and are hingeably mounted to sliding hinge supports 235 and 236 so as to allow frame 162 to raise and lower.

Tie rods 163 are hingeably attached to crank arms 296 and 267, by rods '25@ and 251 passing through rod end bearings 252 and 253, and into crank arms 206 and 267, rod end bearings 252 and 253 being permanently fastened to tie rods 163. Tie rods 163, at their opposite ends, are fastened to rod end bearings 254 and 255. Rod end bearings 254 and 255 are hingeably attached to frame 162 by hinge supports 256 and 257 and by bolts 256 and nuts 259. rfie rods 163, being hingeably connected to crank arms 266 and 207, which in turn are connected to shaft 18d, cause the vertical motion of frame 162.

Referring to FIGS. 4, 5 and l() through 15, stationary loin knife cam plate 269 is mounted on frame 162 by cam plate supports 261 and 262. Moving loin knife cam plate 263 is slidably mounted on guide bars 264 and 265, cam plate 263 being secured to moving cam plate supports 266 and 267 which are designed to slide on guide bars 265 and 264. The ends of guide bars 264 and 265 are secured to cam support 262 and bracket 263. Cable support 269 is secured to cam plate 263 by means of bolts 276 and cable 271 is secured to cable support 269 by nuts 272. Moving cam plate 263 is provided with three extensions 274 which are provided with slots 275 receiving pins 276 on cam plate 260. On movement of cable 271, cam plate 263 moves forward or backward on guide bars 26d and 265 to an extent determined by the length of slots 275 of extensions 274. Cam plates 260 and 263 together provide cam track 277 for forward motion, and cam track 27S for reverse motion. Cam tracks 279 are slanted as illustrated in FlG. 15 to allow downward movement of cam followers. Similarly, cam tracks 280 are slanted opposite to cam tracks 279 so as to permit upward movement of the cam followers. It should be noted that cam plate 263 is provided with high point 281 on cam track 277 corresponding to the position indicated by the saddle line 62 in station 1, Control Set-Up.

Stationary scribe saw cam plate 296 is mounted on frame 162 by support bracket 291; stationary scribe saw cam plate 292 is mounted on support bracket 293 which is secured to frame 162 by bolts 294 as shown in FIG. 9. Moving scribe saw cam plate 295 is mounted on cam plate supports 2% and 297, which are provided with bearings 293 so as to allow a sliding movement of cam plate 295 on guide rods 299 and 36), shown in FlG. 9, and which are secured at their extremities upon cam plate support brackets 291 and 293. Cable 361 is fastened to bracket 362 on cam plate 295 by bolts 303. Cam plate 295 is provided with extensions 31M having slots 365 which receive pins 366 on cam plate 29). Cam plate 295 also has extensions 367 having slots 328 receiving pins 309 on cam plate 292. Cam plate 295 is free to move backward and forward upon guide rods 299 and 300, the extent of travel being limited by the length of slots 365 and 368. Cam plate 295 is provided with cam 310, slanted upward so as to carry cam roller 311 into cam track 312. Cam roller 311 rides in cam track 312 for a part of the forward stroke and for its entire reverse stroke until it drops upon contacting cam 313. Track 312 is formed in all three cam plates 2%, 292 and 295. The movement of cam plate 235 corresponds to the amount of movement of loin knife cam plate 263, so it can be seen that the position of cam plate 255 is determined by the position of saddle line 62 in station 1.

Mounted on frame 162 by bolts 326 are end supports 321 and 322, as illustrated in FIG. 7. Attached to end 

1. IN APPARATUS FOR DIVIDING MASSES OF IRREGULAR SHAPES, A FRAME, A SUPPORT CARRIED BY SAID FRAME FOR HOLDING A MASS TO BE DIVIDED, A PLURALITY OF MASS-DIVIDING MEANS IN SPACED-APART RELATION, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SUPPORT AND MASS-DIVIDING MEANS RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER TO EFFECT DIVISION OF THE SUPPORTED MASS, A SIGHTING ELEMENT MOVABLY CARRIED BY SAID FRAME FOR SIGHTING ALONG A LINE ON THE SUPPORTED MASS, AND MEANS ACTUATING BY MOVEMENT OF SAID SIGHTING ELEMENT IN THE SIGHTING OPERATION INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID MASS FOR MOVING SAID SUPPORT AND MASSDIVIDING MEANS RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER FOR DIVIDING SAID MASS ALONG SAID SIGHTED LINE. 